We enjoy sharing with you a little bit about the history of the Lake Travis area here at LTL.
And if you’re familiar with the areas along Hudson Bend, nearby Steiner Ranch or Lakeway you might already know a bit about the foundation of the settling of our cherished land. Wiley Hudson was the first to purchase several plots here along the lush and abundant banks of the fertile Colorado River.
Then came the New Deal era and with it, Mansfield Dam.
Our beautiful Lake Travis was once a dream of Congressmen, construction workers and settlers, but after the building of the dam the lake became a veritable reality.
The harnessing of hydroelectric power would be able to bring electricity to the area, and with it, economic development. Without it we probably would not be here today.
Around the Bend (as we say on Hudson Bend), there’s still a lot of history to take in along the coves and marinas on the edge of Lake Travis’ blue waters.
Author and fellow Lake Travis-ite Carole Sikes has been hard at work compiling these early stories of hearty men and women making lives on the Colorado River, and transformed them into an informative book, Hudson Bend and The Birth of Lake Travis.
Among the stories she has been able to pen is a common theme of can-do attitudes and an unstoppable Texas spirit that still permeates the spot today.
Saddle up and get ready to catch a few anecdotes from around the Bend, many of which you have never heard before. For instance, you might be surprised to know that some of the area subdivisions — such as The Woods of Lake Travis — have been crafted out of land once owned by descendants of Wiley Hudson.
In addition to these premier settling families, there are stories of the early Native Americans that inhabited the areas, including the Texas Comanches.
Come early to grab a good seat and reminisce about Lake Travis’ colorful history with a local author who lives and breathes Lake Travis.
1938 Lohmans Crossing Rd Austin, TX 78734
Hudson Bend and The Birth of Lake Travis: A Talk by Carole Sikes
September 16th at 6:00pm
